Miho Museum – Featured Destination Kyoto Japan

 

Category

The Arts

Destination

Kyoto

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The Miho Museum is located southeast of Kyoto, Japan, near the town of Shigaraki, in Shiga Prefecture. The museum was the dream of Mihoko Koyama, the heiress to the Toyobo textile. I highly recommend seeing this stunning museum in its spectacular setting. It was designed by I. M. Pei  and completed in 1996 on a scenic mountainside in a nature preserve near the center of the town. It was made to resemble a contemporary Japanese Temple.

You arrive at the visitors center, and then approach the museum through a stainless steel tunnel that runs through a mountain and then across a small suspension bridge. It is really spectacular in the Fall with amazing color. The museum has some Japanese treasures such as Buddha statues, tea utensils and handscrolls plus Roman mosaics and treasures from Egypt and Persia. The collection is nice but the setting spectacular. There is also a lovely cafe with great views where you can have lunch. The museum is easily reachable by train and bus from Kyoto. You leave the JR Kyoto Station to the JR Ishiyama Station. You then connect with Teisan Bus Line at the train station.